Do politicians still have a moral responsibility to the public?


Perhaps this should be entitled 'Should we hold political leaders to a higher moral standard?' When we think of role models most of us do not think of politicians but athletes or heroic figures who have overcome adversity to reach some kind of pinnacle. Why don't we think of politicians? Maybe it is because of the sleaze that is often associated with them.

This past week saw the resignation of two high-ranking American politicians from the left of the spectrum following allegations of sexual misconduct while at the same time another would-be American politician was refusing to drop out of a senatorial race despite lurid allegations of sexual misconduct (including misconduct with a minor). Over here in England we had a somewhat quieter political week in terms of scandal but it also was the week in which a woman once embroiled in the biggest political sex scandal died in peaceful but relative obscurity.

Christine Keeler - ask people over a certain age who she is or was and they will know but ask people younger than 30, possibly even 40, and they will have no idea. That iconic photograph with an equally iconic chair means nothing to them. It is like Warhol said, "Today's news lines tomorrow's bird cage" - or something like that.

I won't go into a history lesson on the Profumo Affair or how it contributed to the downfall of a Conservative government, for that you will have to attend A-Level History lessons, but instead I think it is a good time to consider who we want to be our moral role models.

Should we even have moral role models? Are morals not subjective to some extent? While we all agree that murder is bad do we all agree that adultery is? Or charging the tax payer for a floating house for your duck pond?

Recently there have been very serious accusations thrown at the feet of the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. Johnson is a highly educated man with a good deal of experience in journalism but a habit of saying things without thinking. Most of the time he merely comes across as a buffoon that we all laugh at but this latest gaff saw a woman's life being put into danger.

Words have power often more power than actions. Isn't the pen mightier than the sword afterall? While Johnson did not use his pen to write a diatribe he did speak without listening to his staff and then tried to claim it was not important. I am sorry Foreign Minister but what we say is very important. When you chose a track star or a centre forward or a high diver as your moral role model there is very little chance that the words they use and the actions they take may harm another person's life or their chance at a good life. Maybe this is why we no longer look to our political leaders as role models? If someone has real power over you and your future and the future of generations to come we want them to be better people - to be above petty squabbles and party politics - but no longer can we forget that they are frail and as prone to temptation as the next person.

Is there an answer to this dilemma? Recently I had the distinct pleasure of meeting a politician who was passionate about serving the community that elected him and giving them a voice but the cynic in me believes that for every decent political leader we have there is another who is less so.

Then again, just look what happened in Alabama.


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